For a family caregiver experiencing a high level of stress, finding the right senior home care agency to help you and your loved one age safely at home is critical. You want to find a reputable agency that will help reduce your stress, not add to it. How do you find an agency that will meet your family’s needs?
If this is your first time searching for a senior home care agency, or you’re considering alternatives to the care your loved one is already receiving, here are some crucial questions to ask that will help you find a trustworthy, qualified senior home care agency.
Is the agency fully bonded and insured?
Unfortunately, there are many senior home care agencies that are neither bonded nor insured, leaving families in danger of being victims of theft or being sued by an agency or caregiver.
Make sure the agency you’re considering working with is bonded and insured. Ask to see documentation proving it before you begin working with them.
How are the agency’s caregivers selected?
One of the benefits of working with a reputable agency is they do the screening, reference checks, and background checks on their caregivers. They also get to know their caregivers and carefully choose a caregiver that will match their loved one’s personality and interests.
In addition to checking a caregiver’s education, work experience, references, and certifications, top home care agencies also hire caregivers based on the candidate’s levels of commitment to helping seniors, empathy, and compassion.
Are the agency’s caregivers trained?
Ask agencies you’re considering working with how their caregivers are trained. For example, how are they trained concerning medication administration? See if caregivers are trained to check the medication and dose before each use and that they understand the importance of storing medications properly.
Also, if the caregiver will be driving your loved one to doctor’s appointments, shopping, errands, etc., make sure they have a valid driver’s license and proper insurance.
Will the agency provide a personal assessment of your loved ones and their needs?
When you reach out and contact some agencies, they’ll ask you what your loved one needs. Be wary of the agency if that happens to you.
An experienced, professional senior home care agency isn’t going to ask you what you need. They’re first going to assess your loved one’s needs, and based on their experience, they’re going to create a care plan that best suits those needs. The best home care agencies advise families about what they need, they don’t ask them.
How flexible is the agency with scheduling?
Ask the agency how much advance notice they need to provide a caregiver in case of an emergency. What is their minimum number of hours required per shift? Do they only provide care during the day, or can their caregivers be there during the night or around the clock?
Also, find out how quickly they respond if an assigned caregiver cancels on short notice. This is important to know if you work outside the home or have standing appointments you can’t miss.
If your senior loved one lives in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, Manhattan, Westchester, or the Port Washington area, Elder Home Care can meet your family’s needs completely.
Our senior home care agency is family-owned; we are not a franchise. All of our caregivers are thoroughly screened and vetted, we are fully licensed and insured, and we provide a complete menu of senior care services.
After a FREE consultation with you and your loved one, we develop a personalized care plan that will meet your family’s needs and give you complete peace of mind.
Contact us today. We’d be happy to learn more about your loved ones and provide the quality, compassionate care they need to age safely and gracefully at home.
